| Country: | England |
| Coordinates: | 54.1871°N -1.4843°W |
| Official Name: | Melmerby |
| Static Image: | Melmerby Methodist Church.jpg |
| Static Image Caption: | The Methodist Church in Melmerby |
| Population: | 386 |
| Population Ref: | (2011 census) |
| Civil Parish: | Melmerby |
| Unitary England: | North Yorkshire |
| Lieutenancy England: | North Yorkshire |
| Region: | Yorkshire and the Humber |
| Post Town: | RIPON |
| Postcode District: | HG4 |
| Postcode Area: | HG |
| Os Grid Reference: | SE337769 |
Melmerby is a village and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England, that lies 6km (04miles) north of Ripon and 1km (01miles) west of the A1(M) motorway.[1] The population was 386 in the 2011 census.
The name is of Old Norse origin and means a sandy settlement (malmr "sandy field" and bý "farmstead or village").[2] The form of the name has been influenced by Melmerby in Coverdale, 16miles west, which has a different origin.[3] Many of the fields in the area have Norse names too, e.g. Halikeld, where 'keld' is an Old Norse word for 'spring'.[4]
Melmerby was mentioned in the Domesday Book. It was historically a manor and chapelry in the parish of Wath in the North Riding of Yorkshire.[5] It became a separate civil parish in 1866.[6]
Until the late 1950s, the village was the site of a major rural railway junction that was situated on the main Harrogate to Northallerton via Ripon railway line (closed 1968). A branch line ran westwards from Melmerby to the small market town of Masham, which is famous for its brewing.[7] This line stopped carrying passengers in 1930 and closed completely in 1963. Another line (closed 1959) also ran north-eastwards linking Melmerby with the East Coast Main Line at Thirsk.[8]
During the war the village was the site of a large munitions store, taking advantage of the railway access.[9]
The parish now shares a grouped parish council, Melmerby and Middleton Quernhow Parish Council, with the neighbouring parish of Middleton Quernhow.[10] The village has a pub, The George and Dragon Inn, a cricket team, the Wath & Melmerby Cricket Club, who play in the Nidderdale League and the village also stages an annual 10km (10miles) road race which has been held since 1984.[11]